Just saw your local news....unbelievable ! I'm really lost for words. I watch your clubs videos, and you are all so much fun to watch. You all are inventors, teachers, and most of all friends. I and all of my friends are with you and your club in the fight to have fun!!

Just saw your local news....unbelievable ! I'm really lost for words. I watch your clubs videos, and you are all so much fun to watch. You all are inventors, teachers, and most of all friends. I and all of my friends are with you and your club in the fight to have fun!!

Mike Weber, FloridaUSA

Couldn't agree more, just down right despicable what they are trying to do to Bruce's club,

Bruce, Fun is not the only four letter word in the eyes of governing associations. Here in Australia, Australian based suppliers of the goods we use in our fun have the ear of the governing association and have suggested the other four letter word is "HobbyKing". Even the Sydney HK store was victimized, the doors and locks were CA'ed at least 3 times that I know of. In the case of the SWMAC's Xjet videos the four letter word "HobbyKing" is possibly used far to many times and the appearance of a particular aircraft that is very prevalent in the videos as well may be pushing the local suppliers to have a word in the ear of the NZ association in question. Me, I could not care less what the associations or the suppliers think. The hobby has over a number of years been so priced out of the hands of the every day sports flyer that HK has become a very welcome addition to the hobby, as to SWMAC and Xjet, I see them as victims of of parties with a vested interest in seeing HobbyKing discredited. By the way I have watched almost all the Xjet videos and loved the entertainment value, although the tower crash video in my opinion was a little to far safety wise.

Many Thanks,

Dave W.

Dead Stick Glide Distance: Half the distance from the airplane to the nearest emergency landing field.

There seems to have been a slackening in the news provided starting with and including the meeting Sunday. Here it is Tuesday local time halfway around the world, and still we don't know anything. Who was there? MFNZ? CAA? SWDC? SWMAC? Salesmen from local burglar alarm companies? Was pizza delivered? Do New Zealanders even eat pizza? I've never seen a mention of pizza in any of your videos.

Anyway I've heard there is a correlation between pizza deficiency and grumpy old men who seek to prevent others from having any fun...

Well MFNZ has been roundly caned by a good number of their members who have finally been made aware of how their allegations against the SWMAC were mis-handled.

There is an AGM coming up later this month and I suspect that the topic will be one of hot-debate with many questions being asked of the executive.

The SWMAC has still not been given the courtesy (and justice) of receiving any information or documentation relating to the allegations against it. Still hung, drawn and quartered without the accusers presenting a shred of evidence so as to allow a defense to be presented.

Since the big problems seem to be MFNZ and CAA -- there's a move afoot to have the airfield (which gets very little full-sized traffic and is really the exclusive playground of a tiny handful of locals with microlights) deregistered and reclassified as an "international hobby park" with a view towards creating an asset for the community, the country and in fact, model fliers from all over the world.

The business-case for such a move is very, very strong -- however, I have my doubts that the SWDC will take any notice of this.

It's my honest opinion that cronyism will prevail and the interests of a tiny handful of full-sized aviators will be placed ahead of the interests of a much larger group and fiscal commonsense -- simply because of "who drinks with who" of an evening.

The SWMAC is being disbanded and a new incorporated club called the South Waikato International Modelers (SWIM) has been formed.

This group will promise to follow all the MFNZ rules and regulations -- but I fear that it may be the beginning of the end for what was once a vibrant club of like-minded individuals who just had a snot-load of fun flying their models in a safe and entertaining fashion.

There is no room for those who are willing to take personal responsibility for themselves and others in today's world.

Those who seek to impose their wills and standards on others will not stop until they are able to do so.

Very tragic.

The only hope is that an international hobby park (IHP) can be created so that MFNZ and CAA can be shown the door and the fun can be restored to RC flying.

We've had $13,000 worth of unsolicited pledges towards creating the IHP and the SWDC has $200K of unspent budget for the area -- but MFNZ has not shown any interest in supporting such a venture. So much for supporting the hobby I guess.

I hate it when politics ruin the hobby. The very reason that the SWMAC was so successful and "fun" is because it wasn't so much a club (with all the bureaucracy and politics that creates) as a bunch of like-minded people who shared a common interest. Now others are forcing bureaucracy and politics upon us.

What a shame.

The Facebook poll showed that the SWMAC had almost 99% support from those who participated -- but again, I suspect that this will have zero effect on those who make the decisions.

Hmmmmmmmm..... ..... have noticed that the NZMAA News messages appear to have dried up over the issue, not just that but others in general.Where can one make a pledge to the new club, sorry but the pledge will only be satisfied if SWDC give full priviledge of Tokoroa landing strip to the new club.Also, regardless of your flying field, are there plans to make membership open to internet members, I would like to join as a paying member.

Has the new club considered the idea of obtaining instructor qualifications direct from CAA, between the new club leaders and the committee there is surely sufficient expertise and "time in type" to justify an application.MFNZ have made CAA look like a bunch of wallies (IMHO), they may jump at the chance to have an alternate organisation.

Years ago I use to watch 6 middled age men arrive at a park with some fishing line, a sheet of 3ply, a fret saw, a car battery, duct tape and the amazing cox motor. They would spend hours at the field flying line models built on site, they had us kids in awed rapture. As I got older life's necessities took priority but when the opportunities arrived to "have a go" the regimented club atmosphere ruined my memories and drive (No such thing as a cheap plane....son!!! To properly participate you have to spend the money...harrumph). Until.......SWMAC, EPO, EPP, Li-Po, er9x, AXN, FPV etc etc etc. Life has changed........life is good.......... my dream will come true.

I sincerely hope that the SWIM guys get back to their "no idiots, fun flying" regimen without interference from MalFunctioningNZ

Dennis

Not enough time in the day for all my crazy ideas, I'm not slow, I'm just pacing myself

My local hobby shop does make an effort to keep their prices low, but the local club here is the same as all the others. Without the SWMAC, xjet and rcmodel reviews, I probably would have bought an expensive plane, flown it a couple of times and put it on the shelf to assist in the occasional day dream.

Thanks to you, your friends, and especially your videos, I have a bunch of great gear that I can afford to replace when necessary. I have knowledge about how and why it all works. I fly it regularly, and not only do I enjoy it, often a passer by does as well.

The spirit of the SWMAC has burst out across the internet to find like minded people in spare rooms and sheds around the world. You have taught us the skills and shown us the planes and we have taken to the skies thanking you for our freedom. You will never find out exactly how many people you have helped get in to RC flying, but I am sure it is more than any other single club that ever was, and possibly ever will be.

Your videos sit there, waiting for even more enthusiasts to find them, and be freed by them. Thanks from me and all your other viewers for putting yourself out there and showing us that you really can be free in this world, at least until the bureaucrats find out.